Algae Black pigment has made it onto the runway. Living Ink Technologies says its bio-based color appeared on garments and printed items at Paris Fashion Week. Stella McCartney runway apparel carried the pigment. Waiākea Volcanic Bottled Water used it on printed labels.
Living Ink says the appearances show what is possible when innovators team up with creative partners who care about sustainability. CEO and co-founder Scott Fulbright noted that color is easy to overlook in daily products, much like micro-algae that people dismiss as pond scum.
The pigment also earned recognition from TIME. Algae Black took a place in the Sustainability category of the magazine’s Best Inventions of 2026 list.
Algae Black is built to replace petroleum-derived carbon black. It is made from bio-waste, including byproduct from farmed algae and brewery yeast. Living Ink says the result is carbon-negative color. The process also diverts organic waste from landfills.
Ease of adoption matters for brands. Living Ink says Algae Black works as a drop-in substitute for conventional carbon black. Manufacturers do not need to retool equipment or change supply chains, according to the company.
Co-founder and CTO Stevan Albers said the team engineered the pigment so manufacturers can swap fossil inputs for bio-based waste without losing design quality. He said bio-innovations can displace petroleum inputs across global supply chains today.
Packaging and manufacturing partners help bring the pigment to market. They include EcoEnclose, YUTO Eco-Tech, Trimco Group and NextGen Packaging. Brands using Algae Black include Waiākea, Patagonia, New Balance and Stella McCartney. Uses span apparel, cosmetics, packaging, plastics, rubbers and paints.
